Humans are hardwired to dismiss facts that don't fit their worldview
January 31, 2020 | The Conversation
“In theory, resolving factual disputes should be relatively easy: Just present evidence of a strong expert consensus,” said Wake Forest philosophy professor Adrian Bardon in an article written for The Conversation. “But things don’t work that way when the scientific consensus presents a picture that threatens someone’s ideological worldview. In practice, it turns out that one’s political, religious or ethnic identity quite effectively predicts one’s willingness to accept expertise on any given politicized issue.”
Media report for Jan. 11-24, 2020
January 29, 2020 | WFU News and Communications
The Wake Forest News Media Report for Jan. 11-24, 2020 is now available online.
Millennial money: Mastering the awkward financial talk
January 21, 2020 | The Washington Post
Nathaniel Ivers, an associate professor in the department of counseling at Wake Forest, encourages millennials to own their mistakes if they face awkward conversations about money. He explains that this approach will play better than blaming other people or circumstances. Ivers also recommends asking trusted advisors, like parents and partners, for input and avoid getting defensive if they scrutinize your spending; take their advice into account.
Racial progress, but racial problems remain, King Day speaker says
January 21, 2020 | Winston-Salem Journal
Ibram X. Kendi, a professor of history and international relations at American University, was the keynote speaker in Wait Chapel at Wake Forest for the 20th annual celebration by Wake Forest and Winston-Salem State University to honor King’s legacy. In his remarks before Kendi’s speech, Chancellor Elwood Robinson of Winston-Salem State University described Kendi as a great thinker and a rising star among U.S. historians. The United States has achieved racial progress, but the persistence of racial problems is something that the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. feared during his life, Kendi said during his speech.
Let's get back to basics: Stop trying to fix your problems just because it's a new year
January 22, 2020 | Psychology Today
Allison McWilliams, assistant vice president of Mentoring and Alumni Personal and Career Development at Wake Forest, says that many of our New Year’s resolutions fail due to unrealistic expectations of ourselves or unrealistic expectations of what achieving our goal will do for our life. Many of us get discouraged and return to our old habits. Instead, McWilliams advises “figure out who you are and what motivates you.”
Wake Forest supporting first-generation students via Magnolia Scholars program
January 15, 2020 | Diverse: Issues in Higher Education
Wake Forest established the Magnolia Scholars program to create an opportunity for first-generation students to receive financial aid, mentorship and college transition assistance. The program chooses students from various interdisciplinary fields and diverse geographical locations. The first cohort of the Magnolia Scholars program was launched in 2009. In 2018, an anonymous donor gifted the Magnolia Scholars program $10 million.
Media report for Jan. 4-10, 2020
January 15, 2020 | WFU News and Communications
The Wake Forest News Media Report for Jan. 4-10, 2020 is now available online.
Wake Forest University confronts slavery past through new project
January 6, 2020 | Diverse: Issues in Higher Education
Over the past three years, Wake Forest has focused on uncovering their connection and history with slavery through several ambitious initiatives. In addition to joining the Universities Studying Slavery (USS) consortium, Wake Forest launched the Slavery, Race and Memory project last spring. The project consists of a lecture series and offers professors course enhancement grants. “The point of the project is to explore our university’s connections with slavery, and how it impacted the university, and how it impacts the university today,” said Kami Chavis, associate provost for academic initiatives and co-chair of the Slavery, Race and Memory project Steering Committee.
Phillips curve still explains eurozone inflation movements – research
January 8, 2020 | Yahoo! Finance
The Phillips curve remains a valid model to explain the evolution of inflation in the eurozone, says research published by the European Central Bank. Economists Laurence Ball at Johns Hopkins University and Sandeep Mazumder at Wake Forest in the US claim inflation behavior in Europe “is not as puzzling or complex as recent discussions suggest”. In fact, “a simple Phillips curve captures most of the movements in inflation over the 20 years that the euro has existed.”
All year long: At 250, Beethoven's not too old to Rock Winston-Salem
January 9, 2020 | Winston-Salem Journal
Over the coming year, at least 32 arts organizations will present 50 events in Beethoven Rocks Winston-Salem, part of a worldwide effort — led by the city of Bonn, Germany — to recognize the contributions of Beethoven to music and art. Everybody knows the scowl but few are aware of Beethoven’s sweetness, said David Levy, a world-renowned expert and music professor at Wake Forest. “In his Ninth Symphony, part of the text says, ‘Be embraced, you millions,’ and that is what is happening here — 32 organizations are collaborating to celebrate his music and his influence,” said Levy. “It’s an artistic response to what is going on in the world.”
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